Introduction to Immersive Technologies PDF

INTRODUCTION TO IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES Pr Khababa Abdallah  1. Introduction to Immersive Technologies 1.1 A Brief History of Virtual Reality 1.2 The five Classic Components of a VR System 1.3 Early Commercial VR Technology 1.4 VR Becomes an Industry 1.5 Reality, Virtu...

INTRODUCTION TO IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES Pr Khababa Abdallah  1. Introduction to Immersive Technologies 1.1 A Brief History of Virtual Reality 1.2 The five Classic Components of a VR System 1.3 Early Commercial VR Technology 1.4 VR Becomes an Industry 1.5 Reality, Virtuality and Immersion 1.6 VR, AR, MR, xR: similarities and differences 1.7 Current trends and state of the art in immersive technologies, developing platforms and consumer devices 1.8 The future of human experience 1.9 Conclusion 1.10 Review Questions 1.1 A Brief History of Virtual Reality What is Virtual Reality? It is not augmented reality…. What is Virtual Reality? “A high-end user-computer interface that involves real-time simulation and interaction through multiple sensorial channels.” (vision, sound, touch, smell, taste)” Virtual reality technology is an important direction of simulation technology. It is a collection of simulation technology, computer graphics, human-machine interface technology, multimedia technology, sensing technology, network technology and many other technologies. VR includes simulation environment, perception, natural skills, and sensing equipment. VR has three technical characteristics: immersion, interaction and imagination  These three characteristics are interconnected and influence each other. It is called "the triangle of virtual reality technology". The immersion of VR surrounds the users in the virtual world, including visual immersion, auditory immersion, and tactile immersion. The interactivity of virtual reality technology provides naturalness and real-time, which fully meet the characteristics required for social functions. The imagination of VR enables users to obtain the imagination of the next behavior and state of the system through the logical processes of judgment, reasoning and association based on various information and their behaviors obtained in the virtual world. The technical characteristics of VR have laid a solid foundation for VR social applications.  SHORT HISTORY OF VR The very first idea of it was presented by Ivan Sutherland in 1965: “make that (virtual) world in the window look real, sound real, feel real, and respond realistically to the viewer’s actions” [Suth65]. It has been a long time since then ; a lot of research has been done. Let us have a short glimpse at the last three decades of research in virtual reality and its highlights. Sensorama–The Sensorama Machine was invented in 1957 and patented in 1962 under patent # 3,050,870.Morton Heilig created a multi-sensory simulator. A prerecorded film in color and stereo, was augmented by binaural sound, scent, wind and vibration experiences. This was the first approach to create a  Short history –to be continued The Ultimate Display–In 1965 Ivan Sutherland proposed the ultimate solution of virtual reality: an artificial world construction concept that included interactive graphics, force-feedback, sound, smell and taste “The Sword of Damocles” –The first virtual reality system realized in hardware, not in concept. Ivan Sutherland con-structs a device considered as the first Head Mounted Display (HMD), with appropriate head tracking. It supported a stereo view that was updated correctly according to the user’s head position and orientation. BOOM –commercialized in 1989 by the Fake Space Labs. BOOM is a small box containing two CRT monitors that can be viewed through the eye holes. The user can grab the box, keep it by the eyes and move through the virtual world, as the mechanical arm measures the position and orientation of the box. CAVE –presented in 1992. CAVE (CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment) is a virtual reality and scientific visualization system. Instead of using a HMD it projects stereoscopic images on the walls of room (user must wear LCD shutter glasses). This approach assures superior quality and resolution of viewed images, and wider field of  1.2 The five Classic Components of a VR System The discussion in this unity will focus on the five The key elements of a VR classic components of a VR system, as depicted in Figure. on the very important I/O devices used either System for user input (such as trackers, gloves, or mice) or output (such as HMDs, large-volume displays, force feedback robotic arms, etc.). The special-purpose computer architecture designed to match the high I/O and computation demands of real-time VR simulations is presented in other Chapter. Input devices – controllers, motion trackers and motion capture technologies for tracking, navigation and gestural control. Output devices – Head Mounted VR Displays, Augmented and Mixed reality glasses 3D interactive and procedural graphics Immersive surround sound Haptic and vibrotactile devices Systems architecture and integrative immersive media platforms Rapid prototyping and physical computing VR programming  1.3 Early Commercial VR Technology Many early VR systems used gloves as input and gestures to indicate similar commands. Advantages of gestures include flexibility, the number of degrees of freedom of the human hand, the lack of having to hold a device in the hand, and not necessarily having to see (or at least look directly at) the hand. Gestures, like voice, can also be challenging due to having to remember them and most current systems have low recognition rates for more than a few gestures. Although gloves are not as comfortable, they are more consistent than camera-based systems due to not having line-of-sight issues. Push-to-gesture systems can drastically reduce false positives. This is especially true when the user is communicating with other humans, rather than just the system itself.  1.4 VR becomes an industry From concept to detail design, VR enables an open environment where actual product quality can match the rendered models. This is especially crucial in industries where there is no room for error. VR can be used in the design process to give a more accurate depiction and immersive creation of 3D models. The industry as a whole is growing at a fast pace, with the global VR market size projected to increase from less than five billion U.S. VR technology makes it possible to hyper- realistically simulate environments that could occur in industrial processes (such as falls on slippery surfaces, cuts or fires). Thus, through virtual training, an operator can practice the protocol of action in case of emergency, living a completely immersive experience. dollars in 2021 to more than 12 billion U.S. dollars by 2024. VR Applications: 23 Industries using Virtual Reality  Automotive industry. VR allows engineers and designers to experiment easily with the look and build of a vehicle before commissioning expensive prototypes.... Healthcare.... Retail.... Tourism.... Real estate.... Architecture.... Interior design.... Gambling. The global virtual reality market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.0% from 2022 to 2030 to reach USD 87.00 billion by 2030.  1.5 Reality, Virtuality and Immersion Immersion: experience of being physically within a VE experience. The term is sometimes subcategorized into external and internal immersion and sensory and perceptual immersion. Presence: illusion of being part of a virtual environment. The more immersive a VE experience, the greater the sense of being part of the experience Virtual environment (VE): model of reality with which a human can interact, getting information from the model by ordinary human senses such as sight, sound, and touch and/or controlling the model using ordinary human actions such as position and/or motion of body parts and voice. Usually virtual environment and virtual reality are used synonymously, but some authors reserve VE for an artificial environment that the user interacts with. Telepresence – is a specific kind of virtual reality that simulates a real but remote (in terms of distance or scale) environment. Another more precise definition says that telepresence occurs when “at the work site, the manipulators have the dexterity to allow the operator to perform normal human functions; at the control station, the operator receives sufficient quantity and quality of sensory feedback to provide a feeling of actual presence at the worksite” [Held92]. Cyberspace – was invented and defined by William Gibson as “a consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators (...) a graphics representation of data abstracted from the banks of every computer in human system” [Gibs83]. Today the term Cyberspace is rather associated with entertainment systems and World Wide Web (Internet). (1) (PDF) Virtual Reality - History, Applications, Technology and Future. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/2617390_Virtual_Reality_-_History_Applications_Tec hnology_and_Future 1.6 VR, AR, MR, xR: similarities and differences 1.7 Current trends and state of the art in immersive technologies, developing platforms and consumer devices As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, I can provide you with some insights into the trends and state of the art in immersive technologies, developing platforms, and consumer devices up until that point. However, please note that the technology landscape is rapidly evolving, and there might have been new developments since then. Here are some trends and advancements that were relevant as of 2021: Advancements in Display Technology: Immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) heavily rely on display technology. High-resolution displays, increased field of view, and improvements in refresh rates have led to more realistic and comfortable experiences. Wireless VR/AR: The move towards wireless solutions in both VR and AR has gained momentum. This improves the freedom of movement for users and eliminates the need for tethered connections to a computer.  Standalone VR Headsets: Standalone VR headsets, which don't require a computer or external devices, have become more popular. These devices combine computing power and tracking capabilities within the headset itself, making VR more accessible. AR Smart Glasses: Companies have been working on developing AR smart glasses that overlay digital information onto the user's view of the real world. While there have been several prototypes, widespread consumer adoption was still a challenge due to factors like design, battery life, and user acceptance. Mixed Reality (MR): MR, which merges physical and digital worlds, has gained interest. It offers more seamless interactions by allowing digital objects to interact with real-world objects in a more convincing way. Content Creation Tools: Tools for creating VR and AR content have improved, enabling developers and creators to produce immersive experiences more easily and efficiently. Health and Safety Considerations: With extended use of immersive technologies, concerns about health issues like motion sickness and eye strain have prompted advancements in comfort design and user experience  Enterprise Applications: Immersive technologies have found various applications in industries such as healthcare, architecture, education, and training. VR and AR are being used for simulations, training programs, virtual walkthroughs, and more. Social VR and Collaboration: Virtual spaces for social interactions and collaborations have emerged, allowing users to meet, work, and interact in immersive virtual environments. Market Growth and Investments: The VR and AR market has been growing steadily, attracting investments and interest from both tech giants and startups. This growth has spurred innovation and competition. Integration with AI and IoT: Immersive technologies are being integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create smarter and more interactive experiences. Accessibility Improvements: Efforts are being made to make immersive technologies more accessible to a wider range of users, including those with disabilities. Regulatory and Ethical Considerations: As these technologies advance, discussions about privacy, data security, and ethical use have become more important. note that these trends are based on information available up until September 2021. To get the most current and accurate information about the state of immersive technologies, I recommend checking recent reports, industry news, and official announcements from relevant companies and organizations.  1.8 The future of human experience The future of human experience is likely to be shaped by a multitude of technological, societal, and cultural factors. While predicting the future is inherently uncertain, several trends and possibilities emerge when considering the trajectory of human experience: Immersive Technologies: Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) are poised to play an increasingly integral role in how humans experience digital content, communicate, learn, and work. These technologies could transform entertainment, education, remote collaboration, and various industries. Digital Twins and Mirror Worlds: The concept of digital twins, virtual replicas of physical objects, systems, or processes, is expected to become more sophisticated. Entire mirror worlds, accurate digital representations of our physical world, could emerge, allowing for better simulations, urban planning, and data analysis. Ubiquitous Connectivity: The proliferation of 5G and beyond, along with satellite-based internet initiatives, could lead to a highly connected world with near-instantaneous data transfer. This could enable seamless real-time interactions, IoT integration, and new communication paradigms.  Artificial Intelligence and Automation: AI-powered systems will likely become more integrated into our daily lives, automating routine tasks and enhancing decision-making across industries. Human-machine collaboration could redefine work and problem-solving. Extended Human Capabilities: Prosthetics, brain-computer interfaces, and other biotechnological advancements could extend human physical and cognitive capabilities. This could lead to new ethical and philosophical discussions about what it means to be human. Personalized Experiences: AI-driven algorithms could create highly personalized experiences in areas like entertainment, education, healthcare, and shopping. This could lead to tailored content, services, and products that cater to individual preferences and needs. Evolving Social Interactions: Digital communication platforms and virtual worlds could redefine social interactions. The lines between physical and digital friendships, relationships, and communities might blur. Environmental Considerations: As the world faces environmental challenges, sustainable technologies and virtual solutions might play a role in reducing the need for resource-intensive activities like travel, manufacturing, and infrastructure development.  Privacy and Ethical Concerns: The increased integration of technology into our lives will raise complex issues related to privacy, data security, surveillance, and digital ethics. Striking a balance between technological advancements and individual rights will be crucial. Reshaping Work and Education: Remote work, telecommuting, and digital learning could become more prevalent, potentially changing urbanization patterns, commuting habits, and the way we acquire new skills. Healthcare Transformations: Technology could revolutionize healthcare delivery, from telemedicine and remote patient monitoring to personalized treatment plans based on genetic data and AI analysis. Cultural Impact: The digital realm could lead to the creation of new cultural experiences, from digital art and immersive storytelling to virtual concerts and events. Ultimately, the future of human experience will be shaped by a complex interplay of technological advancements, societal choices, and individual preferences. Adapting to these changes will require thoughtful consideration of the ethical, social, and psychological implications of emerging technologies. It's important to engage in ongoing discussions and collaborations to shape a future that enhances human well-being and preserves the values we hold dear.  Conclusion In conclusion, the evolution of technology continues to shape our world in profound ways, ushering in new possibilities and challenges. From the rapid advancements in immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) to the growing importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding our digital lives, the landscape is ever-changing. As we embrace the potential of immersive experiences, we must also remain vigilant about privacy and security. The seamless integration of digital and physical realms through XR opens up exciting avenues for entertainment, education, collaboration, and more. However, this integration also demands responsible development, data protection, and user consent to ensure that these technologies enhance our lives without compromising our privacy. Looking ahead, the future of human experience holds promise and complexity. We stand at the crossroads of AI, automation, biotechnology, and sustainable innovation. While we envision a world of personalized experiences, interconnectedness, and extended capabilities, we must also address the ethical and social implications that arise. Balancing progress with humanity's values and individual rights will guide our journey into this transformative era. As we navigate this dynamic landscape, it's imperative to engage in ongoing dialogue, stay informed about technological developments, and work collectively to create a future that enriches human well-being, fosters inclusivity, and upholds the principles that define our society. By embracing the opportunities and challenges ahead, we can shape a future that reflects our aspirations and preserves the essence of what it means to be human. The future human experience Coaches who support clients to create profound sustainable change will work with the 'whole' person, or as we say, at the five levels of human experience: the physical, mental, emotional, intuitive and spiritual. This is with the belief our mind, body, heart and soul are all connected.